Questions Arise Over President Biya’s Attendance at Trump’s Inauguration


Yaounde: As United States president-elect Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House on Monday for his second term as the 47th US president, speculation surrounds whether Cameroon’s President Paul Biya will attend the inauguration. An official guest list has been distributed, but Cameroon’s representation remains uncertain.

According to Cameroon News Agency, an official from the Unity Palace, who requested anonymity, suggested that it is unlikely for President Biya to attend. The official commented, “By practice, I doubt if there will be any delegation. Our ambassador may, of course, be there. The Unity Palace does not have a history of attending such ceremonies. Besides, there is nothing so special about Trump.”

Cameroon’s ambassador to Washington DC, Henri Etoundi Essomba, may attend the event if he receives an invitation. However, it appears that a direct delegation from Cameroon is improbable. Meanwhile, South Africa, the US’s largest ally in Africa, has not been invited. President Cyril Ramapho
sa’s spokesperson confirmed to IOL News that he would not attend Trump’s inauguration.

Relations between the US and South Africa became strained during Trump’s first term due to his comments on domestic South African issues and derogatory remarks about African countries. While Trump has garnered some support among African citizens, many African leaders view his second term as insignificant.

It seems unlikely that any Cameroonian officials will be present at the inauguration, with only the Cameroonian ambassador potentially attending if invited. In recent years, Cameroon, like many African nations, has leaned towards China rather than the US. A prime example is the construction of Cameroon’s new parliament building in Yaounde, built by the Chinese at a cost of 55 billion CFA and inaugurated in December 2024.

During Trump’s first presidency, US foreign direct investment in Africa dropped significantly, falling from $56.6 billion to $46.9 billion. This decline reflects Trump’s limited interest in Africa. Conv
ersely, China has bolstered its investments across the continent, injecting approximately $25 billion into South Africa alone for projects in various sectors, including communications, finance, energy, and manufacturing.